The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-18
THE GOLDEN EGGS.
Be Careful Not to XIII the Goose that
Lays Them.

Editor Of the Morning Netns:: SIR
Noticing that considerable discussion is
going on in reference to the increase in
the charges for COMPRISING cotton at this
port to commence on Sept l next, ven
ture the following remarks, hoping that'it
will not yet be found too late to repair what
|, among many, believe will eventually
prove injurious not only to the owners of
the presses but to the city of Savannah and
the railroads having this as their terminal
point.
1t is claimed by those who advocate
higher charge for COMPRISING cotton at this
port that the price the ship pays for this
service being fixed by the local press COM
panies enables the interior shipper, who has
his cotton compressed in the interior, to get
a greater rebate from the vessel here, and
therefore attracts such shipments to our
port; or, if the cotton came here uncom-
pressed, by a higher scale of charges, our
local presses make more out of it. This, in
few words, is what is claimed and urged
in defense of the recently proposed advance.
Ii this be ell true and all that is true IN
relation to the matter, there would scarcely
be two opinions aboutit but the whole thing
can be made SO clear to any intelligent
and unprejudiced mind that it seems strange
that the reasons named, at least the first,
should be urged in its favor. To take
broad view of the matter, Savannah es well
as all the other Southern outportS are merely
transfer stations on the lines of transporta-
ton from the producer to the consumer,
and other things being equal, it requires no
argument to prove that the cheaper the
route the more cotton will be attracted to it.
If the reverse be true. as claimed, why have
not our railroads doubled their rates of
freight? Why have not our factors, dray
men and warehousemen as well as the COM
press companies doubled their former
chargesl
If the proposition seem absurd, it is only
logical deduction from what is proposed
by those favoring o higher charge for COM
pressing. New Orleans is now suffering
from this very thing and those most inter
ested in the prosperity of that city have
realized it, and have already taken steps
towards recovering their lost trade.
But it is claimed that the vessels that take
the cotton away from here pay the compress
charges, and it is only that much money left
at the port
This is as shallow as the first proposition,
for it seems unreasonable to assume, indeed
it is certain that ocean freight rates win be
advanced in proportion to the advanced
rate vessels have to pay for the COMPRISING.
This was demonstrated this season in the
comparatively lower ocean freight rates.
when COMPRISING was reduced, and is
again proven, if proof be necessary, by the
notice from the Ocean Steamship Company
that its arbitrary" on through business
for the coming season will be advanced.
The effect of an advance in the charge for
COMPRISING will be, first, to attract cotton
to the interior towns where there are COM
presses because, the railroads paying for
this work where it is done, and the shipper
getting a rebate from the vessel here equal
to the local charge for COMPRISING, it is
clear that the higher the charge here the
greater the rebate, and hence the greater
inducement to compress the cotton in the
interior; and, as st present most OF the in
terror presses are at competing points, the
greater will be the competition with other
ports; secondly, the large rebate afforded
will act as stimulus for the erection of
presses at other interior points, until finally
most of the cotton coming here will come
compressed and merely pass through, and
all be caused by the eager desire to get too
many golden eggs at time.
/ say this because the presses during this
passing season, at what is claimed the too
low rates, yielded fair returns.
II it be claimed that theory however well
supported by sound reasoning, does not al
ways hold good in practice, we need only to
refer to the business of Savannah and
Charleston during the past season, when Sa-
vannah had a low charge for comprising
and Charleston high one. Savannahs re-
ceipts Of cotton to May IS are, according to
the last number of the Financial and Com
merciGt Chronicle, Ii, 464 bales more than
for the corresponding time the previous
year. while for the same time the receipts at
Charleston are 116, 239 bales less.
ONE INTERESTED IN THE PRESENT AND
FUTURE WELFARE OF SAVANNAH.